Hotel operations continue to become automated with time. Specifically, there are numerous types of hotel management software available for managing basic operations of a hotel to include check-in, money management, among other functions. Although hotels continue to incorporate automated systems, one continuing problem is the ability for a hotel to improve its efficiency in preparing and cleaning rooms for new guests. Typically, a new guest checks in at the hotel reception and then request a room. The receptionist/attendant checks to see room availability, and then assigns a room, assuming a room is available for the particular guest. If a room is not yet available, the guest must wait until one becomes available. For the great the majority of all hotels, there is a standard check-in time which allows housekeeping personnel to prepare and clean rooms for arriving guests. Travelers often arrive at hotels prior to the scheduled check-in time, which requires the guest to wait for a room to become available.
Even with present automated hotel management systems, the typical way in which rooms are prepared for new guests is that a listing is prepared for housekeeping in the form of a work order to clean a particular set of rooms which become available that day. These lists are typically printed from a central computer near or at the reception, and then distributed to supervisory housekeeping personnel who then have to assign rooms to be cleaned by the housekeepers. The housekeepers then signal completion of room cleaning by either reporting directly to their supervisor, or by telephoning the front desk indicating that a particular room has been cleaned.
If there are any changes to be made to the particular work order, this often requires a reprint of the work order, along with the extra time required to distribute the updated work order to various housekeeping personnel. Also, present systems have no efficient means by which particular rooms can be prioritized for cleaning based upon new guests arriving, nor do present systems have efficient means by which a guest can request at check in particular amenities to be stocked in the room such as extra towels, etc.
Therefore, while some hotel management systems may help to automate housekeeping services, these systems are still inadequate for allowing more efficient room check-ins and reducing the wait time for arriving guests.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,908 discloses an interactive room status/time information system. The system is used to manage hotel operations and specifically managing room statuses in a hotel. The status of a room for occupancy is determined by a two step procedure. Input from both a maid and an inspector must be received before a room has a ready for occupancy status. Data may be transmitted by a room terminal cable television system to a system manager location.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,204 discloses a system for monitoring the status of a plurality of terminals, and discloses the use of transmitting terminals, logic structure, and display structure. This system may be used to identify a hotel room and monitor its status. Information as to whether the room is vacant and not made up, vacant and made up, or occupied, is shown on a display. Information identifying a particular room and describing its status is transmitted from any transmitting terminal to the logic structure. Both a room clerk and housekeeper have a separate display. Information on the clerk's display is capable of being corrected or updated by new information from the transmitting terminals and by information placed into the system by the clerk and a cashier. The clerk may change the status of any room. The clerk's display also shows running counts of total rooms occupied, total rooms vacant, total number of rooms scheduled to be vacated, and total number of rooms reserved for new components.
While the invention disclosed in these references may be adequate for their intended purposes, one characteristic common to both of these references is that they require fairly complex circuitry, and are not capable of being incorporated within mobile units which can be carried by maids or other housecleaning personnel. Additionally, both of the references disclose wired systems which detract from their ability to be used in a more mobile environment.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a system and method for managing hotel operations to include room cleaning services wherein the system and method makes use of a local wireless network allowing hotel personnel to carry individual mobile devices which are able to communicate wirelessly with a central computer which manages hotel operations.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide software within the mobile units which allows a number of functions to be handled by hotel personnel, and to instantaneously update information for exchange with the central computer monitored by hotel management. Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple, reliable, and inexpensive management system and method which makes use of wireless communications technology.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a system and method which can be easily altered in terms of the specific functions which are capable through the system and method. The flexibility in the system and method is attributed to the software which can be modified for the particular desired application within the hotel operations.
Yet another object of the system and method of this invention is to provide individual housekeeping personnel with the ability to input information, respond to orders sent from the front desk, and to handle other housekeeping duties without having to go to a central control panel, or to utilize some other centrally located device away from their location at the time.
These and other advantages of the invention will become apparent from a review of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.